Wedge-cutting machine.



ALBERT B. SMITH, OF .SUTTER, CALIFORNIA.

/WEDGE-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907.

Application filed .Tune 17, 1907. Serial No- 379,4E'76.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sutter, in the county of Sutter and State of Oalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I/Vedge-Outting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improved wood cutting machines especially designed for making wedges for use in wedging up the spokes of vehicle wheels; and it consists in the novel construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive machine of this character by means of which a block of wood or other material may be quickly and easily cut up into wedges for the purpose above mentioned.

The above and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, are attained in the preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved wedge cutting machine, Fig. 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal section 3 and Fig, 3 is a vertical transverse section.

The machine comprises a suitable base plate 1 adapted to be secured upon a suitable support by a screw or other fastening passed through an aperture 2 or in any other suitable manner. The base or body 1 is here shown of rectangular form With one of its ends tapered or reduced as at 3 and formed with an upwardly projecting apertured ear or lug 4. At the opposite end of the base plate upon its top is formed a transverse seat 5 in which is secured a stop block 6, preferably, but not necessarily, of wood. This stop block 6 projects a suitable distance above the base plate and is preferably secured to it by vertical bolts or similar fastenings 7 so that it may be removed and replaced by a new one when it is worn.

Projecting upwardly from the top of the intermediate portion of the base plate and extending longitudinally adjacent to its opposite or side edges are parallel ribs S which have their opposing inner faces formed with longitudinal grooves 9 which form overhanging flanges 10. The points 9, 10 constitute a guide for a reciprocatory cutter blade 11 having a beveled cutting edge 12 at one of its ends and an apertured ear or lug 13 projecting upwardly from its other end. 'lhe cutter or knife blade ll slides between the two ribs 8 and has itsvlongitudinal edges engaged with the guide grooves 9, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and when reciprocated between said guides its cutting edge is adapted to be projected across a recess or depression 15 formed in the top of the base plate between the inner end of the stop block 6 and the opposing ends of said ribs.

The recess 15 extends transversely across the base plate and its bottom is inc-lined downwardly and inwardly, while the cutting blade or knife 11 is mounted for sliding movement in a horizontal plane so that when it is forced into a block of wood or other material interposed between the stop block 6 and its cutting edge 12 it will sever or cut a wedge shaped piece from said block, as will be readily understood.

While any suitable means may be provided for reciprocating the cutter 11, I preferably provide a lever 16 having a handle at its upper end and an enlarged. bifurcated lower end which is pivoted upon the ear or lug 14 at the inner endy of the base plate. The lever is connected to the sliding cutter by a link 17 which preferably has a compound curvature and forked or bifurcated ends, one of which is pivoted to the lever, and the other to the lug or ear 14 on the cutter.

In use, the lever is osC illated to reciprocate the cutter blade so that as its cutting edge 12 moves toward the stop bloc-k 16, it will sever a wedge shaped piefe from a bleek of wood placed in the recess 15 and against the stop block. By the use of this machine wedges for edging up the spokes of buggy and wagon wheels and for similar purposes, may be quickly and easily formed and they will be of uniform size and shape. Owing to the simple construction of the machine it may be produced at a small cost and is durable in use and powerful in operation. By making the stop 6 of wood or other suitable material the edges of the cutter will not be injured and by making it removable it may be replaced when worn.

While the machine is especially designed for use in (utting wedges it will be understood that it may be employed for other purposes and that various changes in theform,

proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The herein described machine for making wooden wedges comprising a base plate tapered at one of its ends and formed with an outwardly projecting apertured ear7 the -intermediate portion of said base plate being formed with an enlargement having upon its top longitudinally extending parallel ribs formed integral with said enlargementand having in their opposing faces longitudinal guide grooves, said base plate being also formed at the outer ends of said ribs with a transverse recess to receive the block of wood to be cut into wedges, a stop block arranged upon the top of the base plate between said recess and the -outer end of the plate7 fastening bolts passed vertically through said stop block and the base plate to removably secure the stop block in position, a knife blade having its side edges slidably engaged in the guide grooves 1n said ribs and having its outer end beveled to provide a cutting edge and its inner end formed with an integral upwardly projecting apertured ear, a hand lever pivoted at its lower end to the apertured ear on the base plateI and a link ivoted at one end to said lever and at its ot er end to the ear upon the knife blade, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aHiX my 35 

